More than three years of personal research went into PLUSPLUS. Based on thousands of speech evaluations across Europe, I could identify 108 patterns for more powerful presentations.
In three blocks – content, delivery, slides – you’ll learn about boosters and brakes of communication. Among others, you’ll get to know the Aerobic Penguin, the AK-47, the Cha Cha Cha. You’ll learn how to avoid landmines on the minefields of antipathy. You’ll say goodbye to two terrible demons on stage, and you’ll deploy the wonderful players of F.C. Rhetoric.
Below you find the summary of these 108 patterns for more powerful presentations.
The book is available on Amazon.
Do you have questions or comments about these patterns? Don’t hesitate and contact me. I’m happy to discuss any aspect of communication with you.
CONTENT BOOSTERS
1 Demand a symbolic act from your audience.
2 Use one metaphorical theme throughout your speech.
3 Use the Speech Structure Building™.
4 Start your speech with a quotation, a thought provoking phrase, one word, a question or a personal anecdote.
5 Welcome and thank after the opening lines.
6 Mention your key message at the end of your introduction.
7 Add a climax to your communication.
8 Create smooth and clear transitions.
9 Build a drainpipe.
10 Make your speech relevant to your audience.
11 Share a vision.
12 Tell stories.
13 Talk less and say more.
14 Be more descriptive.
15 Touch all five senses of your audience.
16 Switch to the I-form.
17 Give people names.
18 Add dialogs.
19 Include soliloquy (self talk).
20 Build passion bridges.
21 Share your feelings.
22 Tell credibility-building anecdotes.
23 Use rhetorical devices.
24 Mention three points.
25 Paint pictures with words.
26 Give concrete examples.
27 Let your audience dangle on that hook of suspense.
28 Twist into other directions.
29 Use patterns of humor.
30 Speak in foreign languages and local dialects.
31 Use active phrases.
32 Say it in a more attractive way.
33 Include sound bites.
34 Turn verbal concepts into mathematical formulas.
35 Mention uneven numbers.
36 Prove excellence with credible facts.
37 Add social proof to your self-celebration.
38 Add popular and surprising quotations.
39 Ask questions.
40 Make references to other speakers.
41 Start one-to-one dialogs with individuals in your audience.
CONTENT BRAKES
42 Don’t mention an agenda.
43 Kill the pause killers.
44 Throw out your message reducers.
45 Stop seeking for affirmation.
46 Take out redundant phrases.
47 Avoid jumping around in your speech structure.
48 Turn your dates into periods of time.
49 Stop talking about yourself in third person.
50 Avoid being sarcastic or cynical.
51 Walk around harmful statements.
52 Skip all four-letter words.
53 Stop saying ‘Sorry’.
54 Avoid general assumptions.
55 Erase the words ‘Thank you’ from your closing line.
DELIVERY BOOSTERS
56 Prepare your performance well.
57 Write shorter speeches.
58 Respect the three moments of truth.
59 Position yourself on the line of proximity.
60 Show that you are alive.
61 Move, stand, and speak.
62 Create holographic images in the minds of your audience.
63 Use hand gestures.
64 Make your message more memorable with props.
65 Smile.
66 Be coherent with body, voice and content.
67 Look at the right people in the right moment.
68 Add many pauses.
69 Use your voice on stage as in normal life.
70 Be energetic, be enthusiastic.
71 Be dramatic.
72 Sing.
DELIVERY BRAKES
73 Stop using notes.
74 Stop giggling.
75 Stop speaking like an AK-47.
76 Stop excluding them with your eyes.
77 Stop hiding your hands.
78 Never show your back.
79 Tear down your walls.
80 Stop using meaningless hand gestures.
81 Stop clapping your hands.
82 Beware of the scratchaz.
83 No aerobic exercises on stage.
84 Don’t rush with your gestures.
85 Avoid moving your feet around when you take your stance.
86 Stop dancing the cha cha cha on stage.
87 Get rid of any disturbing noise.
88 Stop killing your last impression.
SLIDE BOOSTERS
89 Create a second version for screen presentations.
90 Keep it simple and smart.
91 Limit your background colors to black and white.
92 Make full use of the screen.
93 Show a metaphorical full screen image as a first slide.
94 Combine images and partly transparent text boxes.
95 Reduce words and numbers to the max.
96 Combine text and numbers with graphical elements.
97 Show intriguing equations.
98 Include memorable acronyms.
99 Speak and click.
100 Include interstitials – blank and black.
101 Prepare laminated one-page summaries as handouts.
SLIDE BRAKES
102 Stop touching the beam.
103 Stop overloading your slides with content.
104 Eliminate all bullets from your points.
105 Get rid of your logo.
106 Avoid animations.
107 Throw out the ‘Contact Us’ slide.
108 Replace your last slide.